Sheet transferring device



June 20, 1939. w, VON HQFE 2,163,441

SHEET TRANSFERRING DEVICE Filed Nov. 4, 1937 INYENTOR. GEOFGE VON /3/';:

ATTQRA'EYS Patented June 20, 1939 George W. you

to New Jersey Hofe, Bound Brook, N. L, assignor Machine Corporation, Hoboken,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 4, 1931, Serial No. 112,121

3 Claims.

The invention relates to devices for transferring sheets of material, exemplified for instance by labels and the like, and more particularly to devices whereby sheets of materials are individ- 5 ually removed from a stack or other source of supply and transferred or conveyed to another point at a distance from said stack or other source of upply- In many existing types of labeling and other machines it is the practice to pick up labels or other sheets in individual succession from a stack or other supply by means of a suction head which is subsequently operated to transfer said labels or other sheets to another point in .the machine as exemplified for instance by the labeling station of labeling machines. In many cases, each label, as it is carried and conveyed by the suction head, is passed in operative relation to an adhesive applying means, and receives therefrom a coating of adhesive prior to the arrival of the suction head at the label applying station. Very often the labels or equivalent sheets are more or less deeply embossed or are otherwise of uneven surface contour. This unevenness of the surfaces of said labels or equivalent sheets interferes with the efliciency of the suction action of the suction head and prevents the latter from developing an effective suction hold upon said labels or other sheets with the result that the operation of said suction head in the intended manner is faulty and unreliable. Because of the leaky suction connection resulting from said unevenness of surface, the suction head ofttimes is completely incapable of removing individual labels or other sheets from the stack or other supply.

The object of the invention is to provide anovel transferring device of the indicated type in which the aforesaid objections and others inherent in existing arrangements are entirely overcome and which automatically conforms itself to the surface of the label or other sheet regardless of its contour to thereby develop a co-operating surface engagement whereby a suction grip or hold of maximum efliciency by said device is definitely assure d. Other more specific objects of the invention will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates an example of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a sheet transferring device embodying the novel features with the parts in normal position; Fig. 2 is a-similar view showing the transferring device with a label or other sheet of material carried thereby;

Fig. 3 is a face view of the novel transferring device, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section similar to Fig. 2. 1

In all of its forms, the novel transferring device includes what may conveniently be referred tolas 5 a carrier or suction head arranged for connection with a suitable source of suction and providedwith flexible sealing means'in operative relation to that part of the carrier at which the suction is effective to develop a pick-up and holding force. 10 In every instance, the arrangementis such that a the inherent flexibility of the sealing means is' relied upon to enable the latter to automatically conform itself to the surface of the label or other sheet regardless of the contour thereof. That is to say, the flexible sealing means,-when brought 'into contact with a label or other sheet, for instance, in the operation of removing the same from a supply, automatically develops an airtight suction connection with the surface of said 20 label or other sheet to thereby insure a suction hold of maximum efliciency thereon. This result is attained whether the surface of the label or other sheet is smooth and even, or whether said surface is embossed or otherwise of uneven contour.

For purposes of description, and for no other reason, thenovel transferring device is illustrated in a form particularly adapted for use in existing types of labeling machines. It is accordingly to be understood, even though the following specification refers specifically to labels and labeling machines, that this is done merely to simplify the description and without any intent to thereby indicate the range of usefulness of the novel device.

As shown in the drawing, the carrier or suction head of the transferring device includes a hollow member 5 having an interior suction chamber 6 which is suitably connected, as by means of a nipple I and flexible tube 8, with any convenient source of suction. In practice, suitable provision is made to control the suction connection so that suction will be automatically produced in the chamber 6 and cut off in proper synchronism with the transferring. operations'of the device; as such control specifically does not constitute a feature of the novel device, it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate any means for effecting the same. The member 5, in the machine of which it forms a part, is reciprocated in horizontal directions so as to travel between a pick-up station at which the successive terminal labels are removed from a. stack or other supply, and a labeling station at which the labels carried by arranged to be operated in the intended manner by any conventional form of mechanism; as

; neither the reciprocable carriage nor the mecha nism, nor any of the elements associated therewith, specifically constitute a part of the instant invention, no example thereof is included in the drawing.

The carrier or suction head of the device in its illustrated form further includes a block III which may constitute an integral part of the member 5 or be suitably secured thereto in any convenient manner, and in any case is mounted on the member 5, for instance, in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The dimensions and shape of the block l0 may be varied in accordance with the requirements of the specific arrangement of which it forms a part; in the drawing, the block "I is relatively smaller in size than the member 5 and is of rectangular form as shown in Fig. 3. The block ID of the carrier has its active surface provided with a suction area at which the developed suction is effective and in the specific example shown in the drawing includes at least one opening extending transversely therethrough at said suction area for the accommodation of a flexible mouthpiece which automatically conforms itself to varying surface contours to develop an air-tight suction connection with a given surface. The aforesaid transverse opening may, as shown, consist of an in-' ternaliy threaded section II and an outwardly flaring or diverging section I! forming a downward continuation thereof, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The threaded section II of the aforesaid mouthpiece opening is preferably located in concentric registry with a suction port I 3 which communicates with the chamber 6 of the member 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The diverging or outwardly flaring section I! of the block opening constitutes a seat for the flexible sealing means illustrated in the form of a mouthpiece or suction cup ll of rubber or other flexible material, which is so dimensioned and positioned that in its normal condition said cup ll projects downwardly beyond the block. ll with its peripheral edge which preferably is highly resilient, located below the lower surface of said block ill, for instance as indicated in Fig. l. The mouthpiece or suction cup I4 is fastened in place in any suitable manner, preferably so as to be easily removable at will, as for instance by means of a fastening member exemplified in the form of a screw l5 which screws into the section II of the block opening and is provided with a bevelled head l6 whereby the cup H is clamped in place in the outwardly diverging section I 2 of the block opening. The head l6 of the screw I5 is preferablydimensioned so as to flll the major portion of the interior of the suction cup I and to leave only the restricted peripheral edge portion thereof, which is preferably very resilient or flexible, free to conform itself to thecontour of the surface to which it is applied in the operation of the device. To establish communication between the suction chamber 6 and the suction cup it, that is the space enclosed by the peripheral edge thereof below the head IS, the screw l5 may be provided with an axial passage l'l arranged to register with the suction port l3 of the member 5 in the operative assembled condition of the parts as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the operation of machines of which the type of transferring devices selected for illustrative and descriptive purposes forms a part, these devices, as previously stated herein, are reciprocated horizontally for instance, between a label pick-up station and a label applying station. During the operative movements of such transferring devices, the labels carried thereby are brought into contact with adhesive applying means and receive a surface coating of adhesive therefrom prior to the arrival of the device at the label applying station; during the inoperative return movements of said devices, the latter do not contact with said adhesive applying means, this being a customary and well-known arrangement.

In the drawing, the adhesive applying means is exemplified by an adhesive applying roll l8 which receives a surface supply of adhesive in any conventionalmanner and generally is provided with circumferential grooves for the accommodation of pick-off or stripping members l9 which'prevent the label from being stripped from the transferring device and carried around on the roll I. With this type of adhesive applying means, the labels carried by the transferring device are passed in progressive tangential contact with the roll l8 and thus receive a surface coating of adhesive therefrom. To insure an efficient application of the adhesive to the labels by the roll l8 or its equivalent, it-is desirable and even necessary to provide a preferably rigid backing or support for the labels during the travel in progressive tangential relation to said roll l8.

Thisbacklng or support may be provided in any suitable manner and in some arrangements may be afforded by the block Ill, for instance, if the labels are not large enough to project beyond the same. In the case of labels of larger dimensions, as shown inthe illustrated example, the block .lll may carry a rigid backing or supporting plate 20 which preferably is made of comparatively thin material and removably fixed in place in any convenient manner, as by screws 2|, and is provided with an opening 22 in registry with and for the .accommodation of the peripheral edge portion of the suction cup l4; if more than one suction cup ll are included in the device, a corresponding number of additional openings 22 will be formed in the plate 20 at the proper places. It is to be understood that the opening 22 of the plate 20 need not be centralized thereon as shown, but may be otherwise located for the accommodation of the peripheral edge portion of the suction cup M; in other words, the plate 20 need not be symmetrically mounted on the block "I. Because the plate 20 is carried across and in tangential relation to the adhesive applying roll l8 in the operation of the device, it is in any case preferred to shape and dimension the plate 20 in accordance with the shape and size of the labels for which it is designed; in passing over the roll l8, the surface of the plate 20 is thus substantially covered and protected by the label which is carried by the device at the time and therefore does not become covered or soiled with adhesive picked up from the roll l8.

Normally, the parts of the illustrated device are in the position shown in Fig. 1 in which the suction cup ll projects through the opening 22 of the backing plate 20 and beyond the lower surface thereof. In the operation of the machine of which the transferring device forms a part, the member 5 and block H) with their associated parts, are moved into contact with the terminal end of a stack of labels or equivalent sheets, or with a corresponding source of supply. As the block l0 or the plate 20, if it forms a part of the arrangement, approaches the stack or other source of supply, the free edge of the suction cup I will finally be brought into surface engagement-with the surface of the terminal label or equivalent sheet a. As shown in Fig. 4, the inherent flexibility of the free peripheral edge of the suction cup ll causes the aforesaid free edge thereof to conform, itself automatically and accurately to the surface contour of the label or other sheet a even though the latter may be deeply embossed as is diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 4. If the surface contour of the label or equivalent sheet is smooth and even, the free edge of the suction cup I will likewise accommodate itself to such surface. In any event, regardless of the surface contour of the label or other sheet a, the suction cup M will develop an air-tight suction connection with the surface of the label and thereby insure maximum efliciency in the suction hold whereby the label or other sheet a is held in place on the device.

After the label or other sheet a has been picked up in the manner described, it will be carried along for insta e in a horizontal path, and during this trav may engage an adhesive distributing means, or more specifically may be passed in progressive tangential contact with the adhesive distributing roll l8, as illustrated in Fig. 2. During these operative steps the plate 20 or its equivalent, will function as a backing to properly support the label or other sheet a in a manner to provide for the proper and uniform distribution of an adhesive coating thereon by the roll ill or other adhesive distributing means. As previouslyastated herein, the plate 20 is preferably of a form and dimensions to conform to the form and dimensions of the labels or other sheets a for which it is designed, so that when a label or other sheet a is held in place by the suction cup I, the surface of the plate 20 will be covered by said label or other sheet a, and will thereby be protected against contamination by adhesive during the adhesive coating step mentioned above. Because of the fact that the head iii of the screw substantially fills the interior of the suction cup H, the surface of said head IS, in the illustrated arrangement lies substantially flush withthe outer surface of the plate suction is therefore exerted on the label or its equivalent only through the passage I'I, while the suction connection with the label or its. equivalent is made air-tight by the flexible peripheral edge of the suction cup I! which conforms itself to the surface contour of said label or its equivalent. This arrangement prevents the label or its equivalent from being cupped out of its plane and consequently avoids dry spots free from adhesive on the labels as the latter pass over the adhesive distributing roll l8 or its equivalent.

If the label or other sheet a which is being held in place by the suction cup ll sags slightly at the forward advancing end of the plate 20, the stripping members IS in addition to their other functions, will guide the sagging portion of said label or other sheet it toward the periphery of the adhesive distributing roll I8; these stripping members I! further serve to prevent 3 the label or other sheet'a from being carried by the roll I8 on its surface or, in other words, strip said labels or other sheets a from said roll l8 in the conventional and well-known manner.

The device is of maximum-efliciency in operation and makes it possible to adequately and easily handle labels or other sheets having embossed surfaces or uneven 'surface contours of other types, and enables such labels to be easily and individually picked from a supply and transferred to a point at a distance from said supply, If, because of the dimensions or other in -v herent characteristics of any particular type of labels or other sheets,'it should become necessary or desirable to do so, the suction cups Il may be duplicated in such numbers as may be required and so located as to provide efficient suction holds upon the particular labels or other sheets at various points of the surfaces thereof.

It will be noted in the operation of the device that the suction is effective on the label or its equivalent only through the passage i1 and within the interior of the free peripheral edge of the suction cup I4 and thereby provides a localized and strong suction grip; this fact in addition localizes the contact area of the suction cup with the label or other sheet and positively insures the air-tight suction connection between the suction cup i4 and the surface of a given label or other sheet. It will, of course, be understood that the suction is made effective at the suction cup i4 and discontinued thereat in proper mechanical synchronism with the particular operations being performed by the device at the time.

The device may be adapted for efficiently handing labels of varying shapes and dimensions by simply removing one plate 20 and substituting another of the required type, instead of removing the entire block ill or its equivalent as has heretofore been necessary in many existing types of labeling machines; the change over from one class of labels to another is thus reduced to the simplest operation and at the same time the equipment necessary to effect the changes is inexpensive and economic both in the matter of time consumed in making the change and in the cost of parts.

A particularly desirable feature incidental to the novel device which contributes materially to its efficiency resides in the fact that the free peripheral edge of the suction cup I4 is very resilient and is deflected into the opening 22 of the plate 20 by air pressure on the label or its equivalent as suction is applied to the face thereof.

Various changes 'in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A sheet transferring device comprising a suction head arranged for connection with a source of suction, a rigid backing plate carried by said suction head and provided with an opening, and a flexible mouthpiece carried by said suction head and normally projecting outwardly through said opening beyond said backing plate, said mouthpiece conforming itself to varying sheet surface contours and flexing into said opening to develop a localized air-tight suction connection with a predetermined portion of said sheet, the latter outsideof said localized connection lying in surface engagement with said backing plate.

2. A sheet transferring device comprising a suction head arranged -for connection with a conterminous surface engagement with said backing plate.

3. The combination of a suction mouthpiece having a suction port through which a localized suction hold is developed on a-predetermined portion of a label or its equivalent, and a rigid backing plate removably carried by said mouthpiece in predetermined relation to said suction port, and being shaped and dimensioned to correspond with vthe shape and dimensions of said label or its equivalent, the latter outside of said localized suction hold lying in conterminous surface engagement with said backing plate.

' GEORGE W. van HOFE. 

